Fan attachment.



No. 649,|23. Patented m .a, 1900; r. .1. BECKER.

FAN ATTACHMENT.

(Application filed DEB-.12, 1598., (No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK J. BECKER, OF HAMILTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THADDEUS A. NEELY, OF MUNCIE, INDIANA.

FAN ATTACHMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 649,123, dated May 8, 1900.

Application filed December 12, 1898. Serial No. 699,061. (No model.)

To all whom, it nuty concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK J. BECKER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Hamilton, in the county of Butler and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fans, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to fan attachments for rocking-chairs, and has for its object to provide simple, inexpensive, and efficient means whereby the rocking movements of the chair may be utilized to automatically actuate the fan.

Figure 1 is an elevation of a chair equipped with my improved fan attachment. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the lower portion of the device, showing the preferred method of attach-' Fig. 3 is an elevation,

ment to the chair. partly in section, of the actuating mechanism. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of the fan-holding means or clamp. Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views illustrating the preferred construction of the attaching-clamp, and Fig. 7 is a plan View of the lower bearing-bracket for the shaft.

In the drawings, 8 represents the standard, provided near its lower end with a series of bolt-holes 9. The upper end of the bracket is bent outward slightly to clear the seat and arm of the chair, and its extremity is bent abruptly outward to form a bearing 11 for the shaft 12, journaled therein.

13 represents a head attached to or formed integral with the shaft 12, said head being recessed, as at 14, to receive the lower portion of the eye of an eyebolt 15 of a size adapted to embrace the handle 17 of an ordinary fan. The stem of the eyebolt 15 extends centrally through said recessed head and is screwthreaded at its outer end to receive an adjusting thumb-nut 16. The fan is attached by passing the handle through the eye of the bolt and then retracting the latter by means of the thumb-nut until the fan-handle is securely held against the face of the head 13.

The lower portion of the shaft 12 is provided with a collar 18, secured thereon by a rivet 19, and an annular rubber cushion 21, secured directly below the collar, said parts acting as a stop to limit the movement of the shaft.

22 is a metal helix, preferably formed of a square bar or rod suitably twisted, secured to the shaft 12 and extending from a point immediately below the cushion 21 to a point near the end of the shaft. Surrounding the extreme end of the shaft 12 and abutting the lower extremity of the helix 22 is a loose bushing or sleeve 24,which carries a knob 23. Said knob is retained in position by a washer 25, countersunk in a recess 26, formed in the bottom thereof, and secured to the shaft 12 by a screw 27, by which arrangement of parts the shaft is left free to rotate without imparting its movement to the knob 23.

28 represents a bracket attached to the lower portion of the standard 8 and forming a bearing for the stop 21 upon the shaft 12. Said bracket is recessed on its under side to form a seat for one end of a coiled spring 31, which encircles the helix 22 and bears with its other end against the knob 23. Centrally of said recess the bracket is provided with an aperture corresponding in size and shape with a cross-section of the helix and through which the said helix is adapted to pass.

The device is attached to the rounds 30 of achair by means of the standard 8 and clampbar 33, the latter being provided with a longitudinal slot to receive the bolts 35,passing through the holes 9 in the standard. The bolts are provided with the usual clamping-nuts 37 for adjusting the pressure of the clamp.

The operation of the device is as follows: The attachment is secured to. the chair so that the knob 23 extends somewhat below the rocker, as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Should the chair then be rocked, its forward movement presses the knob against the floor and the rod 12 is driven upward, the helix 22 being thereby forced up through the opening 32 and caused to rotate in the direction of its pitch. The motion being reversed and the chair rocked backward, the spring 31 pressing against the knob operates to force it downward until the stop 21 comes into engagement with the bracket, thereby withdrawing the helix through the aperture 32 and rotating the fan in the direction opposite to that of its initial movement. The rocking of the chair is thus accompanied by a reciprocating movement of the helix through its opening in the bracket, whereby it is caused to rotate to actuate the rod 12 and the fan carried thereby.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a standard, a bracket thereon and containing a square opening, a shaft journaled on the standard, a helix secured on the shaft and movable through the opening in the bracket to rotate the shaft, of a stop on the shaft at one end of the helix to engage with the bracket, a knob swiveled on the end of the shaft and at the other end of the helix, a coiled spring encircling the helix and extending between the knob and the bracket and means to clamp the standard to a chair, substantially as described and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination with astandard, means to secure the standard to a chair, a bracket on the standard and a shaft journaled in the standard and ahelix thereon'and movable with the shaft through the opening in the bracket, a knob swiveled on the end of the shaft to drive the helix upward through the bracket, a stop secured on the shaft above the bracket and a coiled spring acting against the bracket and the knob to drive the helix and shaft downward through the bracket whereby reciprocating and alternating rotary motion are imparted to the shaft.

3. In a fan attachment for rocking-chairs, the combination of a standard, means for attaching it to the chair, a bracket secured to said standard, a shaft mounted in the standard and carr yin gahelix movable through said bracket, a sleeve loosely mounted upon said shaft below the helix, a knob mounted on said sleeve, and a washer attached to the shaft and adapted to retain said knob and sleeve in position, substantially as set forth.

FRANK .T. BECKER.

Witnesses:

II. II. IIAINns, ROBERT S. CARE. 

